We have a committed and expert team of Governors who support and guide the School.

The Governors of Downe House act as the Trustees of the School in respect of its status as a charity. They provide strategic guidance on the running of the School and are the point of last appeal on issues such as the exclusion of a pupil or employees’ grievances. They are also responsible for appointing the Headmistress and Bursars.

The Board of Governors consists of members with a wide range of knowledge and experience. Many are current parents, former parents or past pupils, but some have no previous connection with the School and therefore provide an even broader perspective. They are all volunteers who receive no remuneration and gain no pecuniary advantage from their position, but without them the School could not function either legally or practically.

The Chair of Governors’ postal address is:

c/o Downe House, Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 9JJ

The Chairman may also be contacted via the Clerk to Governors, Mr C Cockburn on 01635 200 286.

The full Board meets four times a year and there is a smaller Nominations Panel that is called together once a year to consider candidates for election as Governors. Committees (Finance and General Purposes (F&GP) and Education) and the Estates Sub-Committee also meet four times a year in advance of Board meetings. In addition, Governors meet at least once a year to fulfil their statutory obligations as directors and trustees of the School’s various subsidiary bodies.

The current Governors are:

• Ms Fru Hazlitt (Chair of Governors)
• Mr Timothy Boucher, BA, FCA (Chairman of Finance & General Purposes Committee)
• Ms Elizabeth Clarke, BA, CPE
• Lady Cunningham, BSc FRCP
• Ms Veryan Exelby, MA
• Mrs Fiona Holmes
• Mr Nicholas Hornby, BSc
• Dr Christopher O’Kane, MA, MB BChir, MSc, DPhil
• Mr Christopher Radford, BSc, FRICS (Chairman of Estates Sub-Committee)
• Dr Clare Ratnage, Bsc MBChB, MRCP, MRCGP
• Mr Mark Ridley
• Mr Joe Smith, BA MEd PGCE (Chairman of Education Committee)
• Mr Mark Wippell, MA, LLM

The Finance and Administration Bursar, Mr C (Colin) Cockburn FCCA acts as Clerk to the Governors.